The hydroponics industry is growing year on year. It is becoming increasingly common and indeed necessary for nations of the world to grow fresh produce locally to feed their populations.
A common method of growing plants involves an NFT (Nutrient Film Technique) system. An NFT system is a recirculating hydroponic system that consists of growing channels or trays over which a nutrient solution is constantly pumped across, creating a nutrient film into which the roots grow. Plants are often started in stonewool cubes and placed on the growing channels. The solution is recirculated from a main tank.
Large scale NFT systems require a considerable amount of land as plants are traditionally laid out in channels along a horizontal plane over a large area. In general, the greater the amount of produce required, the greater the area of the land needed to grow the produce.
Consequently, urban areas rely on fresh plants and edible produce to be delivered from the rural, often distant, farming areas. The expanse of farming area required means that fresh produce is generally not grown on a commercial scale within urban areas and cities. This is particularly the case in built-up cities around the world were open space is limited and at a premium.
Restaurants within cities and urban areas require daily deliveries of fresh produce. Supermarkets also require regular large deliveries requiring vast transport networks and logistics.
Vertical tier NFT systems are known which allow fresh produce to be grown in vertical tiers of shelving. Such systems however have been found to have inflexible structures and have restrictive limitations on the amount of tiers, and hence produce, that can be grown within a given area. Walkways must be provided between each shelf tier to allow access to any plant growing within the assembly. This can easily double the size of the footprint area needed for such systems.
Moreover, should the framework of known systems need to be moved, all lighting and fluid systems required for the system must be disconnected. Consequently, it is not possible to move or re-position any parts of the framework during any plant growing cycle.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved vertical growing system for growing inter alia plants, which has a flexible modular structure to alleviate the spacial limitations of current systems and which allows sections of tiered shelving structure to be moved and re-positioned during, and without interfering with, the growing cycle.
The term “growing system” is intended to include any system that provides water or other nutrient fluid and light to plants growing within the system. This includes NFT systems as well as flood and drain systems.
The term “plants” is intended to include edible leaves, such as lettuces and herbs.